The Rain Upon The Stars
by darkmoonvampire
Summary: They are the same and yet they are far more different. He is the frozen snow and she is the warm spring. Can Rush finally bring himself to trust and open up to the one person who seems to keep saving his life? RushxOriginal Character.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Dooming The Innocent

Colonel Young couldn't believe what he had just heard from the Scottish scientist. The man had obviously hit his head so hard that it caused severe damage because there was absolutely _no way in hell_ that Rush was asking for help.

"What did you just say?" Young asked as he placed his hands on his desk in his office and leaned forward so it was taking his weight. He might collapse from the shock if he had indeed heard him correctly.

"Why must I always repeat myself? I said that I need you to assign someone to assist me. I need two sets of hands and being human despite what everyone on board thinks; I am human and thus only have one set of hands." Rush explained annoyed and frustrated and gestured with his hands. "I need someone who can learn quickly and be open minded, someone who is willingly to work closely with me for long periods of time."

'_I need to sit down, Rush asking for help? I never thought it would happen.' _Young thought to himself as he did sit down and take a deep breath, when he really thought about it was fair enough that Rush needed someone else to assist him, after all he was human and couldn't do everything at once, but why was he asking him? "Why are asking me to find you someone?"

"I thought that would be quite obvious, I have so much work to do that I don't have the time to go search for another assistant. Eli is too busy doing something else and that just leaves me alone, plus none of the scientists are willing to talk to me longer than necessary." Rush almost smirked at this; just thinking about how everyone feared him was mildly amusing but mostly annoying.

"Fine, I'll see what I can do." Young said, getting up again and making his way to where the majority of the scientists would be. They all generally stuck together out of feeling safe in numbers.

Rush probably should have thanked the man but he was too stubborn and besides the Colonel hadn't actually done anything for him yet. He left as soon as Young said 'fine' and made his way back to the control room, he just hoped that whoever the Colonel picked wasn't incompetent, they would be an idiot compared to him but that couldn't be helped.

When Colonel Young entered the large room that had been unofficially dubbed my Greer as the 'geek nest' he wasn't expecting the scientists to be arguing fiercely over what seemed to be some equations. The scientists all got along with each other with the exceptions of Rush who was an outcast to them but that was completely understandable.

"You're wrong, it has to equal off the same amount of energy if not then it's going to blow a section of the ship up!" Dr Park was yelling at Brody as she pointed to a Datapad that was on the table in the middle of the room that everyone was gathered round.

"How would a geologist know about that? Did you ever study physics? No! So shut up! I know what I'm doing, it has to have more energy at the final stage if not then it's not enough and it would be useless!" Brody shot back at her and the two entered a glaring contest.

As Young watched the argument unfold he noticed that the other scientists had stopped whatever they had been doing and were taking sides upon reading the information on the Datapad. They hadn't noticed him enter the room as they were that focused at yelling at each other and Young was about to step in when he saw a female scientist get up from where she was sat in the far corner of the room. He was surprised that he hadn't seen her, she must have been just sitting there listening in on everyone.

He couldn't see her face so he had no idea who she was, but she just strode to the middle of the room, picked up the Datapad that was on the table, glanced at it for a couple of seconds before announcing to everyone in a shy voice. "You're both wrong." She then tapped her fingers on the Datapad, presumably inputting the new information and set it back down on the table and stepped back, allowing everyone to see what she had done.

Brody and Park leaned over and looked at the Datapad in silence until they both sighed in unison and stood up straight; nodding at each other as if they were conceding defeat and muttered "Thanks, Woods." Before returning to the work that they had abandoned, the rest of the scientists followed their example but as they were leaving they gave the female scientist strange looks as they departed.

The female scientist sighed heavily and slouched her shoulders forward as if in resignation. Her right arm lifted up and rubbed her temples probably trying to soothe the headache that was no doubt beginning to form.

They were the only two left in the room as the other scientists had immediately left upon seeing him and somehow they could all tell that he wanted to speak to the woman who had broken up the argument. Young cleared his throat and took a couple of steps towards the scientist. She jumped and swung round to see the intruder and relaxed when she recognised whom it was. He was just as surprised as her when he was finally close enough to identify her face.

She was young looking and one of the youngest people on board, next to Eli. She was roughly 5'7, slender and extremely beautiful. She had brilliant hazel eyes that just seemed to shine and gorgeous long dark brown hair that was pulled up into a ponytail. She wore a red t-shirt with a small black waistcoat over it, snug blue jeans and brown boots that were similar to what the military wore.

"Dr. Woods, do you have a minute?" He asked politely, out of all the scientists on the Destiny, Woods was the nicest and understood the way in which the military worked, but unlike Rush she truly respected them and was completely compliant with them.

"Yes Colonel, what is it that you want?" She asked just as politely in a weak English accent and clasped her hands behind her back. Most of them time she sounded just like the rest of the American personnel, it was only when she was frustrated or very happy that her English came apparent.

"I was wondering how you feel about being paired up with Dr Rush? Turns out he needs another assistant and after seeing you handle things in here, I thought that you'd be perfect." Colonel Young had seen the fear that had flashed across her eyes but it was gone in a second. He felt about asking her, it was well known that she was shy around others, he had read her file like all the others and knew that the reason behind it led back to her parents.

Her parents had slaved her to work continuously since she could read, and drove her to be the best of the best and that unfortunately had excluded her from having friends and not interacting with people her own age. She was highly intelligent and Stargate Command had their eyes on her for years, but they didn't act because she was so young. She had only turned 21 a month before they arrived here. She had been disclosed on the information regarding the Stargate on her 18th birthday and had been working on equations that would have practical implications for space travel ever since.

"Sure, I'm up for the challenge." She answered uncertainly, she knew what she was getting herself into, and she had met Rush once before Icarus base and that had been a brief visit to Atlantis. He had been nice and kind to all of the scientists that they had met during their visit, especially Dr McKay who seemed to share a lot of the same qualities, they both didn't like youth trying to work along side them. Pure arrogance that they were the only ones capable of anything useful.

"Thank you Dr Woods." Young hadn't been surprised that she had accepted, he knew that she wanted to prove herself to not just Rush, but all the scientists on Destiny. "He's in the control room, you should probably head straight there. If he gives you any trouble let me know." And he definitely meant it; Woods may be a genius but she was socially inept due to her lack of socialisation growing up. She couldn't defend herself from a verbal confrontation however she flew through her field training with great efficiency that it was just plain odd that she didn't know how to handle conflicts when weapons weren't involved.

"I will." She said cheerily and walked out of the room and down the corridor towards the control room where Rush would be waiting impatiently to see who had been sent to him.

Young just hoped that Woods would be able to survive Rush's harsh demeanour and that he wouldn't crush her spirit. _'Who knows, may be she'll have a positive effect on him?'_

A/N: I got this idea after I saw the beginning of 'Life' where Eli isn't working with Rush and is instead working for Young. I just thought that if it continued on that way then Rush would be forced to find himself another partner. So this is set between 'Life' and 'Justice.' Please let me know your thoughts, they are appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Working the Impossible

Rush was getting impatient and was tapping his right foot on the floor. He didn't think it would be a hard decision; after all it wasn't as if anyone on board could keep up with him. In a perfect world he would have Dr McKay or Colonel Carter working alongside him, but alas there was no such thing as a perfect world.

So when he heard approaching footsteps he was relieved that he wouldn't have to wait that much longer, however he begun to dread who would turn round the corner at any moment. He hadn't realized he was holding his breath in anticipation until he saw the slender figure enter his line of sight.

His eyes widened when he recognized the pretty face heading towards him. He finally breathed out in a sigh of relief but honestly '_What was the Colonel thinking?' _It wasn't because he didn't like the young Dr Woods, she was a fine lass but a little hard to relate to and she was just so…

"Hello Dr Rush, I'm you're new assistant." She said cheerily as slowed down her pace and stood nervously on the opposite side of the consoles.

…_Cheery. _

"Very well then. Come here and let me inform you of what I'm working on." He motioned for her to stand beside him as he leaned away from the console to one side.

He was testing her, she could easily read the signs, he didn't think she was willing to get that close to him out of some deranged fear. _'I'll show him.'_ She was nervous about being so close to him but not for the reasons he might conjure.

Dr Woods only had to take a few steps to close the distance between them and ended up standing next to him and within his personal space. She definitely didn't enjoy being this close to the older scientist but she had no choice if she was going to prove to him that she was worthy of his time and that she could indeed keep up with him.

He immediately started pointing at the text on the screen in front of her and he asked condescendingly "Can you even read Ancient?"

She couldn't help but roll her eyes even though she was facing away from him. "Yes, this is an older dialect than the one used in Atlantis and even predates some of the ones that we've come across in our own Galaxy, though it does appear to be similar to the one used on the planet where they discovered the ruins in which the four great races would negotiate."

Rush was taken aback by her not just because she could read ancient, but also at the fact that she knew it was an older version than the one most people were used to. "Good." Was all he could say, he was impressed but he wasn't going to tell her that.

Dr Woods quickly read the information on the screen and already saw the error before he could even ask if she might have an idea on how to solve the problem. She placed her hands on the console and was already working on the solution when she heard him inhale a deep breath. But she had to finish before he could berate her; after all she knew what she was doing even if he didn't believe she did.

"There." She announced and moved away from both him and the console and clasped her hands behind her back, proud of her work.

Rush was going to yell at her and ask her to leave when he saw that she had indeed solved his problem. He also saw that her solution she had come up with had opened up another section of the ship that was previously closed off to them. He didn't waste any time reaching for the radio and contacting Colonel Young of their development.

"I see, I'll send Sergeant Greer to go take a look." Young replied after he'd been told of what they'd just done.

"I'm going to as well Colonel, make sure there's nothing of importance before the others mess around with it." Rush said and he wasn't giving the Colonel much of a choice, he was the one that knew what to look for and whether they liked it or nor they had to clear things through him first.

"Understood. Radio me on your findings." Young replied before ending his communication.

"Dr Woods I want you to stay and lead us from here, the Kino will transmit the video directly to this console." Rush ordered her as he pointed to the console they had just been using he put the radio back down and almost ran out of the room towards the new section.

Woods sighed heavily as she made her way to the console and activated the video receiver for when Rush activated a Kino. She was aware that she had surprised Rush, and that he was pleased with her that she had already helped him in her first few minute of working with him. She twiddled her fingers while she waited for Rush and Greer to reach their destination. She could see their progress through the Kino and it was almost as if she there herself, standing right beside them.

She guided them through the corridors, telling them in advance which turns to take. Eventually they ended up outside a door that was now unlocked. "Power and life support have been pumped into the room, it's safe to enter." She told them over the radio.

Greer wasted no time in waving his hand over the door control and stood ready in case anything charged at them. The door opened and the room was filled with the same dim lighting that flowed through the whole ship. The room looked identical to the chair interface room with the exception that there was no chair in the middle but there was a big pillar with ancient writing instead.

As Rush and Greer moved about the room, taking in all the equipment that was scattered around; Woods was watching through the Kino when the screen in front of her began to beep and flash red and she didn't need to read ancient to know that was a bad sign. "Doctor Rush, Sergeant Greer you need to leave that room immediately."

"What's the matter Doctor Woods?" Greer replied into his radio as he shared a quick glance at Rush who seemed just as concerned as he did.

"There's radiation emanating from inside that room, I'm guessing it originates from the pillar, I've never encountered this type before, so I suggest you leave without delay." Woods' voice came over the radio a little worry colouring her tone.

Greer and Rush didn't hesitate to head towards the door, however as soon as they approached it the door closed and locked them inside. "Dr Woods what's going on?" Rush asked as he yanked the radio out of Greer's hand and was holding it firmly close to his face. He was agitated, concerned for his safety and more than a little exhausted, he knew coming down here was a bad idea.

"Destiny's sealed the room in order to protect the rest of us. I guess entering the room triggered whatever it is automatically and it's obviously unstable." She stated the information that Destiny was giving at that moment. "I'm trying to override the control mechanism but it's going to take a few minutes."

"We may not have a few minutes Doc." Greer said as he looked back at the pillar behind him, it was glowing a light green and he didn't like the looks of it.

Neither Rush nor Woods answered him, Rush knew that opening the door against Destiny's will would be problematic as Destiny didn't seem to want to do anything they asked until they had that damned code.

A few minutes passed in silence and they were surprised when they heard Young's voice on the other side of the door. "Woods is doing the best she can, she told me what happened and told me that I should be here when he opens that door."

"Why's that sir?" Greer asked as he moved to stand next to Rush who was leaning on the door, supporting himself.

"She believes that the radiation has already affected you." Young answered simply, he didn't like this, putting the lives of two of his crew in the hands of another one; especially a young one.

"She's right, I already feel tingly sir and Rush doesn't look so good." Greer announced as he took in the Scottish man's appearance, he was pale and sweat was breaking on his brow. _'If we don't get out soon then we're finished.'_

Suddenly the door opened slightly, just big enough them to get through, hissing as it did so like it was protesting against the act. Greer latched on to Rush and hauled him through the gap into the Colonel's arms and stumbled out of the way as the door hissed closed behind them.

"Are they alright Colonel?" Wood's worried voice came over the radio.

Young steadied Rush as he was regaining his balance; the two men nodded at him saying that they'll live. Rush moved away from Young and propped himself against the wall, while Greer sat on the floor wiping his forehead to get rid of the sweat that had broken out.

Young reached for his radio and informed the young genius "They're going to be fine, good work Kadie." He knew that she would probably be blushing now that he'd said her first name due to her embarrassment; he knew that she wasn't used to it and she felt that her name was childish and contradicted her intelligence.

Rush and Greer both perked up in interest when the Colonel spoke her first name, it was highly unusual for him to use people's first names with an exception of those who were close to him.

"I'll be the judge on whether they're fine, sir." Johansen spoke from where she walked round the corner with her med kit. Upon seeing that they weren't bleeding or had burns she ordered "You two are coming with me to the infirmary where I can ensure you're ok."

"Thanks TJ. Keep me apprised of their conditions." Colonel Young said looking at her lead the men down the corridor she had just come from.

"Yes sir." She replied as she disappeared round the corner with Rush and Greer on her heels. Both men knew that it was pointless arguing when Johansen was concerned.

Young decided that he would go and see how Doctor Woods was holding up and made his way to the control room. When he got there he wasn't at all surprised that she was burying herself in her work or more accurately Rush's work.

"You should get some rest Kadie." His voice was soft as he walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder forcing her to look at him. "You've done enough today, I'll inform everyone of what happened and tell them to go nowhere near that room."

"I almost got them killed." She whispered and he wished there was something he could do to wash away her despair. She looked like a helpless child and so vulnerable and he just wanted to wrap his arms around her and take her troubles away.

"No you couldn't have known what would happen. No one could, so don't blame yourself. Just go to bed and get some well deserved rest." Instead Young said the only thing he could, he knew what it would look like if someone came in and saw the two of them embracing and they would automatically assume they were a couple.

"Yeah you're right. I'm no good like this." She agreed and turned off the console she had been using. "Goodnight Colonel." She smiled shyly at him and went to walk around him.

Young placed his hand on the back of her head and kissed her forehead softly. "Goodnight Kadie." She stepped away from him and nodded her thanks at his comfort and made her way towards her quarters. While Young watched her leave he too decided to call it a day and left in the opposite direction to his own room.

Young realized that he probably shouldn't have kissed her head like that but he couldn't himself. He wouldn't deny to anyone, not even Camille Wray that he did indeed care for the young English genius but it wasn't like that.

The truth was Kadie was the closest thing he had to a daughter and he loved her like she was. After all it wasn't like her parents loved her, all they cared about was having a genius child that outshined everyone else's.

When he entered his quarters Young hoped that Kadie would be all right and stopped blaming herself for what happened today. _'Hopefully Rush will be nicer to her as well seeing as she did single-handedly save his life. It wouldn't kill him would it?'_

Colonel Young sighed heavily as he climbed into bed and smiled to himself when he thought _'Knowing Rush it probably would kill him.'_

A/N: Hope you liked that chapter, I realize that this chapter was more Young centered but I had to establish his connection to Kadie Woods so that it makes more sense in the later chapters. And yes it is meant to be Kadie and not Katie just in case you were wondering.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Gentle Soul

Rush was unwillingly to admit that an amateur had saved his life so quickly through hacking the Destiny's uncooperative systems. He would admit to himself that he was grateful of course but not to anyone else. This Doctor Kadie Woods was a mystery to him, and he had always loved a good mystery puzzle.

There were several things that made him suspicious of her:

Colonel Young knew her personally somehow because he had referred to her with her first name.

Her association to Colonel Young meant that she was working for him and most likely informing him of everything about their work.

She was just too cheery and helpful which also meant that she was hiding something and not exactly what she appears.

She was able to access the door controls with relative ease, which shouldn't have been possible for anyone except for himself that made him conclude that the whole thing had been staged.

Colonel Young had assigned her to him and even if he had asked the man to do it, it automatically made her someone of concern.

He knew next to nothing about her; not even the other scientists seemed to know her when he overhears their conversations about the people on the ship. The most they say about her is her physical attractiveness and how different she is compared to them.

'_I need to keep a close eye on her from now on.' _He decided as he made his way from the infirmary to his quarters. Lt Johansen had examined him and Greer and found that they were indeed ok and ordered them both to bed and radio her if they felt unwell.

As he neared his door he saw Woods enter her room probably turning in for the night. He hadn't realised that her room was just down the hall from his own. _'Well at least I know where it is in case I need her to assist me during the night.' _His door swung open and the exhaustion that washed over his body sudden hit him as his door closed.

Rush considered working for another couple of hours going through the equations on how to Gate everyone home but he was distracted by the many theories he was conjuring up about Doctor Woods. In the end he just went bed and succumbed to his desperate need to slumber.

For once in a long time he didn't dream about his dead wife but instead dreamt of Doctor Woods. The dream was sensual and felt so real that to Rush it was almost as if it had happened. His subconscious mind had supplied him with images of porcelain skin, plump lips that felt so soft and warm against his own, a smell that he could not even begin to describe that was hers alone.

Rush jerked awake covered in a cold sweat, it had been a while since he had experienced such a dream and a most inappropriate one at that. He had barely taken in her appearance; he had no wish to form attachments to anyone and so became indifferent to the appeals of women and their beauty.

He had truly believed that he had gone above feeling the lust for a woman who looked absolutely divine. But apparently his subconscious mind had not and neither had his body much to his dislike. Before he could ponder more on why exactly he had such a dream about a woman he had just met, his radio crackled to life.

"Colonel Young, Doctor Rush come to my quarters immediately, there's something you need to see." Camille Wray's voice ordered and left no room for discussion.

Rush was grateful for the distraction and headed straight there, jogging lightly down the corridors. He could tell that he hadn't slept for more than a couple of hours as his body still screamed of exhaustion.

He didn't know what he was expecting to see but when he entered the woman's room he certainly wasn't expecting to witness this. Camille Wray's room was quite large with a large black desk and chair at one corner, a bench in another and a decent sized bed on the other side.

Colonel Young and Miss Wray were standing next to the bed with both of their arms crossed over their chests as they watched the young Doctor Woods muttering to herself and hurriedly scribbling numbers and symbols over a large piece of paper that Wray had been using for her drawings.

There were several pages scattered on the floor, all with the similar scribbling that appeared to be in no order that it just looked like mathematical nonsense to them. Naturally Rush recognised what the young scientist was experiencing and by the look on Young's face he knew too.

"Does anyone want to explain to me what's she's doing? I don't like it when a member of the expedition knocks on my door muttering under her breath and storming into my room in search of paper and writing equipment and then spend the next hour doing _this._" She gestured to the mess of papers that were lying everywhere.

"She's having a scientific revelation." Young supplied as he watched Woods start another page and grabbing another pen that had ran out of ink.

"What does that mean _exactly?_" Wray asked irritated at the Colonel for his brief answer and for the young scientist disturbing her sleep.

Rush was surprised that Young knew the term and filed it away for later and focused on answering Wray's question. "It means that her mind has suddenly developed a theory, equation or math proof that she has to write down immediately or risk losing the revelation. I have experienced a few in my life and can inform you that Doctor Woods has no real conscious thought of what she's currently doing. Her body is acting of it's own accord and she wont stop until she's gotten it all out." He too began to watch the young scientist and observed that her body was having no trouble keeping up with the information that her mind was processing which meant that She had also experienced her fair share.

"She's nearly done, her hand is slowing down." Young stated from his observations and uncrossed his arms and faced Rush. "I want you to take her notes and keep them till morning. Knowing Doctor Woods she'd want to start working on it immediately. I want you both rested up before you do anything."

Rush didn't say anything and just nodded at the Colonel. Wray sat down on her bed and placed her hands on either side of her to keep her from just lying down and drifting off to sleep. Young bid them goodnight and left them alone.

Doctor Woods finished writing and dropped the pen and blinked herself into awareness. She looked around at the papers surrounding her and shifted her body and turned to face them.

Upon seeing this Rush realised that she was done and that her mind had drawn a blank. He moved away from where he had been standing by the door and walked right up to her and knelt next to her and gathered the pieces of paper up and rolled them. Woods copied him and handed him the papers unquestioningly and stood back up, only to have her knees give and begin to fall towards him.

Reacting quickly Rush wrapped his left arm around her waist and pull her against himself. Wray had jumped off the bed and snatched the papers out of his other hand and placed them on her desk.

"Knowing you Nicholas you'll stay up all night analysing her notes. So I'll keep them for tonight and you can kindly carry Doctor Woods back to her room." Wray's voice left no room for argument and as she crossed her arms over her chest again she gave him the look that said 'you'd better leave know before I get really cranky.'

Having no desire to protest he silently swooped the young woman up into his arms so that he was carrying her bridal style. She was very light and so he left without further delay and made his way back through the empty corridors. While walking back to her room Rush heard Woods make a small whimpering noise and then suddenly buried her face in the crook of his neck.

He tensed as she did so and became uncomfortable now that her breath was brushing his bare skin. It was obvious to him that she had fallen asleep in his arms and was trying to make herself comfortable by getting closer to the warmth of his body. But that didn't make it any easier on himself.

He was relieved when he was outside her door and that no one else had been around to see him carrying a sleeping Woods who was so comfortably snuggled into his chest. If someone had seen them like that then it would have undoubtedly caused rumours and cause more annoyance to him.

Rush was able to open her door without too much difficultly and noted that she had a small room exactly like his own. There was no desk or chair that been in Wray's room, it was bare and only contained a bed that was only big enough for one person. He managed to pull back the covers without waking her and gently lowered her on to the bed.

He decided to be uncharacteristically kind and sat at the foot of her bed and lifted up her right boot and untied the laces, pulling it off before doing the same with her other boot and gently placing them on the floor. Rush then lifted the covers up and tucked her in before making his way to his own bed.

'_She may be working for Colonel Young but she did save my life. Returning a little kindness is the least I can do.' _Rush reasoned to himself and justified why he had shown her such a kindness.

Unfortunately for them even though nobody had seen him carry her back to her room that didn't include the Kino that had been hovering around in search mode and recorded the whole thing back to Eli. As soon as the math boy woke up the next morning and informed Chloe of the footage it was certainly going to be spread around the whole ship.

A/N: Hoped you enjoyed that Chapter. Please let me know your thoughts both good and bad.


End file.
